Antiglare mirror apparatus in a vehicle compartment

ABSTRACT

In an antiglare mirror apparatus mounted inside a vehicle compartment a mirror member is an electrochromic element comprising an antiglare material including an electrochromic layer, a light transmission electrode material and a light reflective electrode material where the light transmission electrode material and the light reflective electrode material are positioned on both sides of the antiglare material and a control circuit controls a drive-electric energy to the electrochromic element based upon a driving electric signal of a signal generator wherein the mirror member is detachably mounted to a facility in a vehicle compartment so that a holder holds the mirror member and the mirror member covers a pre-mounted inner mirror.

[0001] This application is a continuation of PCT/JP02/00934, filed onFeb. 5, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a post-mounted inner mirror fora motor vehicle and in particular, to an antiglare mirror apparatusmounted in a vehicle compartment with high antiglare performance using amirror member made of an electrochromic element.

[0004] 2. Related Art of the Invention

[0005] An inner mirror for a motor vehicle equipped for the purpose ofsafety confirmation in the direction behind the vehicle is very glaringwhen a headlight from the following vehicle is reflected in the innermirror during driving at night and therefore, various kinds of antiglaremirrors have been proposed (Japanese Issued Patent Publication No.2722590, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-106110, JapaneseIssued Patent Publication No. 2858006).

[0006] These inner mirrors utilize an electrochromic element colored byoxidation-reduction reaction due to voltage impression where a mirrormember is an electrochromic element made by laminating a lighttransmission electrode material, an antiglare material having anelectrochromic layer, and a light reflective electrode material in orderfrom the surface side.

[0007] Also there is another proposal that a coloring amount (namely,level of antiglare) of the mirror member is controlled manually orautomatically by controlling electric energy for driving anelectrochromic element. It is disclosed that as a method ofautomatically controlling the coloring amount, an energy supply amountto the electrochromic element is controlled based upon information ofsurrounding light and incident light from the backward detected by asensor, thereby to control the color amount (Japanese Unexamined PatentPublication No. 9-24768). In case where the electrochromic element isdriven into the coloring direction, the glare is restrained due toreduction in reflectance of a mirror member.

[0008] In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-286398, anantiglare apparatus that can be mounted to an inner mirror mountedbeforehand is proposed where this apparatus has a transmission base madeby laminating a transmission electrode material on both surfaces of anelectrochromic layer and the transmission base is mounted to the surfaceof the inner mirror mounted beforehand. Accordingly, the electrochromicelement is colored by voltage impression and the reflectance of theinner mirror is lowered.

[0009] On the other hand, it is disclosed that when a visibility regionto the backward is expected to be enlarged, a replacement mirror ismounted to a pre-mounted mirror (Japanese Issued Utility Publication No.3021443, Japanese Unexamined Utility Publication No. 59-42740, No.59-42741, No. 58-184352, No. 57-63302). The replacement mirror of thesePublications is mounted to the pre-mounted mirror so as to cover themirror member on the surface thereof and a mounting member for holdingthe pre-mounted mirror in both an upper edge portion and a lower edgeportion thereof is mounted to a rear side of a holder.

[0010] However, an antiglare mirror disclosed in Japanese UnexaminedPatent Publication No. 9-24768 is mounted in a factory when a new car ismanufactured and therefore, it is not so easy for ordinary people toreplace a pre-mounted mirror for the antiglare mirror due to a largealteration in a vehicle compartment being needed.

[0011] In an antiglare apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined PatentPublication No. 5-286393, a transparent base is used and therefore, ithas no function of a mirror. And also since a mirror is mounted on amirror member of a pre-mounted mirror and light is reflected using themirror member thereof, a visibility region thereof can not be enlargedmore than the pre-mounted mirror. Further, if a thing that light doesnot transmit is inserted between the transparent base of the antiglareapparatus and the mirror member of the pre-mounted mirror, it does notwork. Accordingly, in this apparatus a control circuit for driving theelectrochromic element, a switch, a sensor and the like can not bearranged inside the holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Therefore, an antiglare mirror apparatus mounted in a vehiclecompartment according to the present invention comprises a mirror memberconstituted from an electrochromic element that disposes an antiglarematerial including an elelctrochromic layer, a light transmissionelectrode material and a light reflective electrode material on bothsides of the antiglare material, a power source member that suppliesdrive-electric energy to the electrochromic element for its drive, asignal generator that generates a driving electric signal of theelectrochromic element, a control circuit that controls thedrive-electric energy of the electrochromic element based upon thedriving electric signal, and a holder that holds the mirror member, aswell as is detachably mounted to a facility in a vehicle compartment.

[0013] According to the above arrangement, the energy from the powersource member is supplied to the antiglare material through the lighttransmission electrode material and the light reflective electrodematerial so that the antiglare material is colored. When light transmitsthe antiglare material, spectrum thereof with a predetermined wavelength is absorbed therein and the resultant light is reflected in thelight reflective electrode material. Therefore, reflectance of themirror member is lowered and antiglare performance thereof works well.This mirror member is held to the holder detachable to the facility in avehicle compartment and thereby an alteration of the facility in thevehicle compartment is not needed for mounting the mirror member to thevehicle compartment.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 shows an antiglare mirror apparatus in a vehiclecompartment of an embodiment according to the invention, wherein (a) isa front view thereof, (b) is a vertical section side view taken in thedirection of the arrow on line A-A of (a), and (c) is a front viewshowing an inside of a holder body.

[0015]FIG. 2 shows a state prior to mounting the antiglare mirrorapparatus, wherein (a) is a partial front view of the holder body, and(b) is a section explanation view taken in the direction of the arrow online B1-B1 of (a).

[0016]FIG. 3 shows a state mounting the antiglare mirror apparatus to apre-mounted mirror by a mounting member, wherein (a) is a partial frontview of the holder body and (b) is a section explanation view in thedirection of the arrow on line B2-B2 of (a).

[0017]FIG. 4 shows a state where the antiglare mirror apparatus ismounted to the pre-mounted mirror, wherein (a) is a partial front viewof the holder body and (b) is a section explanation view taken in thedirection of the arrow on line B3-B3 of (a).

[0018]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an inside of the hoider bodyof the explanation view.

[0019]FIG. 6 shows a section of a mirror member of the antiglare mirrorapparatus, wherein (a) is a section view of the embodiment, (b) and (c)are variations of the embodiment.

[0020]FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing control method of coloring andnon-coloring (achromatizing) the antiglare mirror apparatus.

[0021]FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a variation of the antiglaremirror apparatus.

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] A mounted-antiglare mirror apparatus 1 of a first embodimentaccording to the invention as shown in FIG. 1 comprises a box holder 10made of synthetic resins or metals, a mirror member 20, mounting members(30,31) that fix the holder 10 to a front mirror (pre-mounted mirror)disposed beforehand to a vehicle, signal generators (41,42,43), acontrol circuit 50, and a power source member 60.

[0023] The holder 10 comprises a surface frame member 11 and a bodyportion 12 forming a box with a periphery of the body portion 12 beingengaged in the surface frame member 11. The mirror member 20 is engagedto an outer periphery of the body portion 12. The surface frame member11 fixes the mirror member 20 on the periphery of the body portion 12when the body portion 12 and its periphery are engaged for assembly. Anentirety of the holder 10 is mounted to the pre-mounted mirror throughthe mounting members 30,31 extending from a back side (a front side inthe vehicle moving direction) of the body portion 12 toward a front sideof the vehicle.

[0024] The known control circuit 50 disposed on a base 51 is fixed to acentral portion of an inner side (a rear side in the vehicle movingdirection) of the body portion 12 of the holder 10. The signalgenerators (manual switch 41, specific light sensor 42, and surroundinglight sensor 43) are electrically connected to the control circuit 50.The manual switch 41, the specific light sensor 42 and a switch 40 areexposed from a window portion opened on the surface frame member 11 ofthe holder 10 toward a rear side in the vehicle moving direction. Thesurrounding light sensor 43 is exposed from a window portion opened onan upper end of the back side of the body portion 12 toward the frontside in the vehicle moving direction. The driving electric signals aresupplied to the control circuit 50 from these signal generators, thecontrol circuit 50 determines a coloring state of the mirror member 20based upon these signals, the drive-electric energy is obtained from thepower source member 60 corresponding to the coloring state, and thedrive-electric energy obtained is supplied to the mirror member 20(refer to Japanese Unexamined patent Publication No. 9-24768).

[0025] Two mounting members are projected in the vehicle movingdirection at the left-right symmetrical positions away by apredetermined distance from the central portion of the holder 10. Eachmounting member comprises two engagement members 30 (stationary), 31(movable) being disposed respectively in the upper side and in the lowerside spaced from each other.

[0026] The stationary engagement portion 30, as shown in FIG. 1(b), isformed integrally as projected from the upper end of the back side ofthe body portion 12 toward the direction of the vehicle front whenmounted.

[0027] The movable engagement portion 31 is disposed under thestationary engagement portion 30 slidably in the upper-lower directionto the body portion 12. In detail, the movable engagement portion 31 ismetallic and comprises a slide piece 32 guided by a restraining plate 12c in a longitudinal groove 12 b formed in an inner surface of the bodyportion 12 by a longitudinal rib 12 a and a projector 31 a a lower endof which is L-shaped and projected toward the vehicle front through alongitudinal opening 12 d formed in the body portion 12. An engagementpiece 31 b made of synthetic resin is engaged and fixed to the projector31 a.

[0028] An engagement nail 32 a projected into an inside of the holder isformed at the central portion of the slide piece 32. A hook portion at alower end of a tension coil spring 33 is engaged to the engagement nail32 a.

[0029] A hook portion at an upper end of the tension coil spring 33 isengaged to an engagement nail 12 e formed at an upper portion of thelongitudinal groove portion 12 b.

[0030] A structure where the mounting members 30, 31 hold thepre-mounted front mirror to a vehicle will be explained in reference toFIG. 2-FIG. 5 which show members necessary for holding function of themounting members in the inner surface of the holder body 12.

[0031] Prior to mounting, as shown in FIGS. 2(a), (b), the movableengagement portion 31 is forced by initial tension of the tension coilspring 33 upward toward the stationary engagement portion 30.

[0032] When mounted, as shown in FIGS. 3(a), (b), the slide piece 32 ismoved in the downward direction sliding in the longitudinal grooveportion 12 a as a result of depressing the movable engagement portion 31against the tension of the tension coil spring 33. In a state where themovable engagement portion 31 is being depressed, the pre-mounted mirroris inserted between the stationary engagement portion 30 and the movableengagement portion 31 from the upper and lower sides thereof.

[0033] Thereafter, when the movable engagement portion 31 is released,as shown in FIGS. 4(a), (b), the slide piece 32 moves in the upperdirection due to spring returning force of the tension coil spring 33,thereby to move the movable engagement portion 31 upward and to hold thepre-mounted mirror 2 elastically.

[0034] Next, the mirror member 20 will be explained with reference toFIG. 6. The mirror member 20 is an electrochromic element made by, whenmounted, laminating a light transmission electrode material 21, theantiglare material 22 including an electrochromic layer, and a lightreflective electrode material 23 in order from the surface side facingthe rear side in the vehicle moving direction. The electrochromicelement is driven (oxidization and reduction reaction) by supply ofelectric energy (voltage impression) and a property that theelectrochromic element is colored or non-colored (achromatized) by itsdrive.

[0035] In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the light transmissionelectrode material 21 is formed by laminating the transparent base 21 aand the transparent conductive film 21 b and the antiglare material 22is formed of a transmission electrolyte film including an electrochromiccompound and the light reflective electrode material 23 is formed bylaminating a transparent conductive film 23 a, a transparent base 23 b,and a reflective film 23 c in order from the surface side. The mirrormember 20 is formed by connecting these materials by a sealing member24.

[0036] The light transmission electrode material 21 may be any material,only if it is a transmission conductive material having an electrode,and may be formed of a unitary material.

[0037] Non-colored glasses or colored glasses, reinforced glasses, lighttransmission resins and the like can be used for the transparent base 21a of the light transmission electrode material 21. As the lighttransmission resin, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthalate, polyamide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyether ketone,polyphenylene sulfide, polycarbonate, polylmide, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, and the like can be used. The transmissionbase preferably has a certain degree of rigidity and has no limitationsof its thickness, but is preferably thinner in view of light weigh,normally 3 mm or less than it, preferably 2 mm or less than it, furtherpreferably 1.3 mm or less than it.

[0038] As the transparent conductive film 21 b of the light transmissionelectrode material 21, for example, metallic thin films such as gold,silver, chrome, copper, and tungsten or metallic oxide such as ITO(In₂O₃—SnO₂), tin oxide, silver oxide, zinc oxide, and vanadium oxidecan be used. The transparent conductive film has no limitations in filmthickness as long as it has light transmission property, normally10-1000 nm thick, preferably in the range of 50-300 nm and nolimitations in surface resistance (resistance rate), normally 1-100Ω/sq, preferably in the range of 3-30 Ω/sq.

[0039] The light reflective electrode material 23 can be any material aslong as it has a conductive material forming an electrode and also canreflect light that transmits the light transmission electrode material21 and the antiglare material 22. Namely as embodiments of the lightreflective electrode material 23 are thought a first embodiment whereinthe transparent conductive film 23 a, the transparent base 23 b, and thereflective film 23 c are laminated in order from the surface side likethis embodiment, a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6(b), wherein thelight reflective conductive film 23 d and a non-conductive base 23 e arelaminated in order from the surface side, a third embodiment wherein thetransparent conductive film, the reflective film and the non-conductivebase are laminated in order from the surface side, a fourth embodimentwherein the transparent conductive film and the light reflective baseare laminated in order from the surface side, and a fifth embodiment ofa plate material having both light reflectivity and conductivity.

[0040] The plate material of the fifth embodiment can be any material aslong as it functions as a mirror, as well as it has a stable function inelectrochemistry as an electrode and for example, metallic films such asgold, platinum, tungsten, tantalum, rhenium, osmium, iridium, silver,nickel, palladium, and chrome or alloy films such as platinum-palladium,platinum-rhodium, silver-palladium, stainless, and the like can be used.

[0041] Glasses, as well as plastics, wood materials, stone materials andthe like can be used, whether transparent or opague, as a non-conductivebase of the second and third embodiments.

[0042] The reflective film and the light reflective base respectivelymean a thin film and a base having a function of a mirror, for examplethin films and plate bodies including silver, chrome, aluminum,stainless, nickel-chrome. The base has some degree of rigidity and canbe omitted when the light reflective material or the conductive materialhas some rigidity.

[0043] The antiglare material 22 is constituted from an electrochromicelement including an elelctrochromic layer that is an ion conductivelayer with light transmission property and may be a single layer likethe embodiment (namely, an electrochromic compound is mixed with anelectrolytic layer with light transmission property) or as shown in FIG.6(c), may be an electrochromic thin film 22 a laminating an electrolyticlayer 22 c (namely, having the electrolytic layer with lighttransmission property and the electrochromic compound layer) or acombination thereof.

[0044] The ion conductive layer normally has 1×10⁻⁷ S/cm or more at aroom temperature, preferably 1×10⁻⁶ S/cm or more, further preferably1×10⁻⁵ S/cm or more as ion conductivity and in layer thickness, normallyhas 1 μm or more, preferably in the range of from 10 μm to 3 mm,preferably 1 mm or less than 1 mm.

[0045] The electrochromic compound generates reversibleoxidation-reduction reaction due to voltage impression and repeatscoloring function and non-coloring (achromatic) function due to theoxidation-reduction reaction and comprises an anode-electrochromiccompound, a cathode-electrochromic compound, or an electrochromiccompound having both an anode-electrochromic compound structure and acathode-electrochromic compound structure.

[0046] The anode-electrochromic compound has a property that absorptionspectrum increases by electrochemical oxidation-reduction reaction andcomprises a pyrazoline compound derivative, a metallocene compoundderivative, a phenylenediamine compound derivative, a phenazine compoundderivative, a phenoxysazine compound derivative, a phenothiazinecompound derivative, a tetrathiafulvalene compound derivative.

[0047] The cathode-electrochromic compound has a property thatabsorption spectrum increases due to electrochemical oxidation-reductionreaction and comprises a stylyl compound derivative, a viologen compoundderivative, or anthraquinone compound derivative.

[0048] The anode-electrochromic structure comprises a pyrazolinecompound derivative, a metharocene compound derivative structure, aphenyrenediamine compound derivative structure, a benzine compoundderivative structure, a phenazine compound derivative structure, aphenoxysazine compound derivative structure, a phenothiazine compoundderivative structure, or a tetrathiafulvalene derivative structure andthe cathode electrochromic compound comprises a viologen compoundderivative structure or an anthraquinone compound derivative structure.

[0049] An organic compound including both anode and cathodeelectrochromic structures is preferable wherein there are not more thantwo anode structures and not more than two cathode structures per onemolecule. Namely the preferable organic compound is chosen as one ormore from a case where one anode structure and one cathode structure perone molecule exist, a case where one anode structure and two cathodestructures per one molecule exist, a case where two anode structures andone cathode structure per one molecule exist, and a case where two anodestructures and two cathode structures per one molecule exist.

[0050] The antiglare material 22 is preferably manufactured by mixingthe electrochromic compound into an ion conductive substance of any offluid type, gel type or solid type and use of solid type ion conductivesubstance is especially preferable in view of practicability, compact,and light weight.

[0051] In case of manufacturing the antiglare material by mixing theelectrochromic element into the ion conductive substance of fluid type,the electrochromic element is dissolved using a support electrolyte suchas salts, acids, and alkalis as a solvent, but when the electrochromicactivator has ionicity, the support electrolyte is not needed andsolvents in general used in an electrochemical cell and a battery can beused. As the support electrolyte, salts, acids, and alkalis normallyused in the field of an electrochemistry and a battery can be used.Since the salts used as the support electrolyte has no limitations,inorganic ion salts such as alkali metal acids and alkali-earth metals,4-class ammonia salts, and circular-4-class ammonia salts can be used.

[0052] A gel-fluid-type ion conductive substance is made by increasingviscosity of the fluid-type ion conductive substance and gelling it, andis prepared by combining polymers or gelling agents to the fluid-typeion conductive substance.

[0053] A solid ion conductive substance is a substance that is a solidat a normal temperature and has ion conductivity, and includespolyethylene oxide, polymer of oxyethylene methacrylate, naphyon,polystyrene sulfonic acid, Li₃N, Na—βAl₂O₃, or Sn(HPO₄)₂.H₂O. Apolyelectrolyte made by dispersing a support electrolyte to a highlypolymerized compound obtained by polymerizing an oxyalkylenemethacrylate compound, an oxyalkylene acrylate compound, or an urethaneacrylate compound can be used.

[0054] As describe above, the mirror member 20 comprises the lighttransmission electrode material 21, the antiglare material 22 and thelight reflective electrode material 23 and may be flat, and may have aprimary, quadric, or cubic surface, and further may be transformed dueto stress.

[0055] The signal generators (41,42,43) and the control circuit 50 willbe explained with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7.

[0056] The signal generator generates an electric signal to drive themirror member 20 as the electrochromic element and comprises the manualswitch 41 used for manually controlling the coloring of the mirrormember 20 and the specific light sensor 42 and the surrounding lightsensor 43 for automatically controlling the coloring thereof. A choicebetween the manual control and the automatic control of the coloring ismade by a switch 40.

[0057] When the manual operation is chosen by the switch 40, a drivingelectric signal (on or off) is generated by operating the manual switch41 that transforms coloring and non-coloring. On this occasion, acoloring state (coloring or non-coloring) is displayed on an indicator70.

[0058] The specific light sensor 42 detects a light amount from aspecific direction (for example, the vehicle backward) and is directedtoward an incident angle of light such as a downward center of theholder surface frame member 11. The surrounding light sensor 43 detectsbrightness around the mirror and is positioned at a location where itcan sense the brightness of a vehicle-running environment such as a backside of the holder. The specific light sensor 42 and the surroundinglight sensor 43 are operated as the automatic operation is chosen by theswitch 40, and detect a received light amount by a photoelectricconversion element, and generate electric signals as light amountinformation at every predetermined time.

[0059] The control circuit 50 is a known electronic circuit thatincludes an input terminal from the power source member 60 and thesignal generators 41, 42, 43, and an output terminal to the mirrormember 20 and is located inside the holder 10. The control circuit 50 islocated in the back side (between the holder body portion 12 mounted inan upper surface of the pre-mounted inner mirror 2 and the lightreflective electrode member 23) of the light reflective electrode member23 of the mirror member 20 so that the mirror member 20 functions as amirror by itself.

[0060] The power source member 60 includes a wire connected to a socketof a cigarette lighter and the wire extends outside of the holder 10through a bore formed in the back side of the holder 12.

[0061] The control circuit 50 includes, as shown in FIG. 7, a manualinformation input unit 51, a surrounding light information input unit52, a specific light information input unit 53, a surrounding lightlevel judgment unit 54, a specific light level judgment unit 55, acoloring level determination unit 56, and a drive-electric energy outputunit 57. The control circuit 50 determines coloring level in a vehiclerunning state based upon signals input from the signal generators41,42,43 in a real time and supplies from the power source member 60 tothe mirror member 20 the energy corresponding to the coloring level.

[0062] When the manual operation is chosen by the switch 40, the manualinformation input unit 51 receives an input of manual information(namely, on-or off-signal) from the manual switch 41 and supplies themanual information to the drive-electric energy output unit 57. When theon-signal is input, the drive-electric energy in the direction ofcoloring is supplied from the power source member 60 to the mirrormember 20, and when the off-signal is input, the drive-electric energyin the direction of non-coloring is supplied.

[0063] The surrounding light information input unit 52 outputs the lightamount information of the surrounding light sensor 43 to the surroundinglight level judgment unit 54. The surrounding light level judgment unit54 judges coloring level Ai (i=1, 2 . . . n) by comparing the lightamount information with a predetermined light amount threshold value.The coloring level A i is set as a plurality of steps and as a largervalue as the light amount is large.

[0064] On the other hand, the specific light information input unit 53outputs the light amount information of the specific light sensor 42 tothe specific light level judgment unit 55. The specific light leveljudgment unit 55 judges coloring level Bj (i=1, 2 . . . n) bycalculating a variation amount based upon the light amount informationand by comparing the calculated variation amount with a predeterminedvariation amount threshold value. In this case, increase of the lightamount is indicated as plus (the direction of coloring) and decrease ofthe light amount is indicated as minus (the direction of non-coloring).Namely an absolute value of the light amount gets large as the variationamount becomes larger.

[0065] The coloring level determination unit 56 determines a coloringlevel C by performing a certain calculation to the coloring level Ai ofthe surrounding light and the coloring level Bj of the specific light.This calculation is thought to be, for example, C=Ai×h+Bj×(1−h). Herein“h” indicates a ratio of how much the surrounding light affects thevariation of the light amount from the specific direction and is set inthe range of 0-1. When h=0, a coloring amount is determined based onlyupon the light amount information from the specific light sensor andwhen h=1, the coloring amount is determined based only upon the lightamount information from the surrounding light sensor. This calculationis made taking into account that sensing how glaring it is depends on avehicle running state, as seen from the event that a specific light isglaring at a dark place. An optimal coloring level is determined byadjusting a value of h corresponding to the vehicle running environmentand accordingly the mirror member 20 is colored corresponding to thevehicle running environment. On this occasion, a coloring indicationidentifying the coloring level of the mirror member 20 is shown in theindicator 71.

[0066] The drive-electric energy output unit 57 determines a state ofsupply of the drive-electric energy (namely, how much energy is suppliedin which direction, coloring or non-coloring) and power corresponding tothe supply determination is supplied from the power source member 60 tothe mirror member 20.

[0067] An application state of the antiglare mirror apparatus 1 mountedin a vehicle compartment having the above constitution will beexplained.

[0068] The holder 10 is mounted to the pre-mounted front mirror 2 for avehicle by the mounting members 30,31 and the wire as the power sourcemember 60 extending from the holder 10 is connected to the in-vehiclepower source such as the socket of the cigarette lighter.

[0069] During moving the vehicle, firstly a manual operation or anautomatic operation is chosen by the switch 40.

[0070] When the manual operation is chosen, the mirror member 20 iscolored or non-colored by the manual switch 41.

[0071] When the automatic operation is chosen, the mirror member 20 isautomatically colored or non-colored based upon the light amountinformation detected by the surrounding light sensor 43 and the specificlight sensor 42. Since the coloring is made to the mirror member 20based upon the vehicle running state by the surrounding light sensor 43,the mirror member can function as a sunglass by coloring the mirrormember during a daytime with much surrounding light and visibilitythereof improves by non-coloring the mirror member at a dark place suchas a tunnel.

[0072] While the non-coloring state is kept at a dark place, when alight amount from a specific direction increases (when a headlight of avehicle behind is approaching), the reflectivity is reduced by coloringthe mirror member, thereby to prevent the glare.

[0073] In the embodiment the manual coloring and the automatic coloringis selectively made, but coloring and non-coloring may be made only bythe manual switch 41 and the coloring amount may be determined basedupon information from the manual switch 41 and the specific light sensor42 and the coloring amount may be determined based upon the surroundinglight information at a plurality of places. A plurality of coloringlevels may be selected by the manual switch 41 wherein the mountingpositions of the switch and the sensor are not limited to theembodiment.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 8(a), the control circuit 50 may be disposedoutside the holder 10. Namely, a casing 61 receiving the control circuit50 may be disposed near a sun visor or at a location of the socket ofthe cigarette lighter. Thereby a thinly- and lightly-made holder 10 ispossible, bringing in more variations of a mirror shape and a practicaladvantage and a design advantage can be obtained.

[0075] The power source member 60 in the embodiment receives power fromthe socket of the cigarette lighter, but, not to limited thereto, mayreceive power from a battery independently from a car battery or a solarbattery.

[0076] A mounting location of the antiglare mirror apparatus 1 accordingto the invention may be any place inside a vehicle compartment, forexample, near a hand of a driver for the purpose of safety confirmationof passengers in the rear seat.

[0077] A shape of the antiglare mirror apparatus 1 according to theinvention may be any shape and a mounting member thereof may be a rubberband 35 as shown in FIG. 8(b), a sucker, a clipper, and an adhesivetape.

[0078] The antiglare mirror apparatus is useful when a high-antiglaremirror is detachably mounted inside a vehicle compartment.

What is claimed:
 1. An antiglare mirror apparatus in a vehiclecompartment comprising: a mirror member; said mirror member that is anelectrochromic element comprising: an antiglare material comprising anelectrochromic layer, a light transmission electrode material, and alight reflective electrode material, wherein said light transmissionelectrode material is disposed on one side of said antiglare materialand said light reflective electrode material is disposed on the otherside of said antiglare material; a power source member that supplies adrive-electric energy to said electrochromic element; a signal generatorthat generates a driving electric signal of said electrochromic element;a control circuit that controls said drive-electric energy to saidelectrochromic element based upon said driving electric signal; and aholder that holds the mirror member, said holder being detachablymounted to a facility in a vehicle compartment.
 2. An antiglare mirrorapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holder is by itself mountedto the facility of the vehicle compartment so that said mirror membercovers a pre-mounted inner mirror.
 3. An antiglare mirror apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein said holder comprises a clip member thatholds the inner mirror with an upper edge portion and a lower edgeportion of the inner mirror being placed into said clip member, saidclip member by itself mounting said holder to the facility in thevehicle compartment.
 4. An antiglare mirror apparatus according to claim2, wherein said holder comprises a rubber band, wherein said rubber bandis mounted to the facility in the vehicle compartment by said rubberband being wound around the inner mirror.
 5. An antiglare mirrorapparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control circuit is disposedinside said holder between said light reflective electrode material andsaid inner mirror.
 6. An antiglare mirror apparatus according to claim1, wherein said control circuit is disposed outside of said holder. 7.An antiglare mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidantiglare material is constituted by mixing an electrochromic compoundinto a light transmission electrolyte.
 8. An antiglare mirror apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said antiglare material comprises a lighttransmission electrolyte layer and an electrochromic compound layer. 9.An antiglare mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said powersource member comprises a wire that is connected to a socket of acigarette lighter of a vehicle.
 10. An antiglare mirror apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said electrochromic element is driven inthe direction of coloring or non-coloring based upon a driving electricsignal generated from said signal generator and said control circuitcontrols a supply state of said drive-electric energy based upon saiddriving electric signal.
 11. An antiglare mirror apparatus according toclaim 10, wherein said signal generator is a manual switch thatgenerates a signal of the coloring or the non-coloring and said controlcircuit transforms the supply state of said drive-electric energy to thedirection of the coloring or the non-coloring based upon said drivingelectric signal generated from said manual switch.
 12. An antiglaremirror apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said manual switchchooses a plurality of coloring levels and said control circuit controlsa supply amount of said drive-electric energy based upon said drivingelectric signal regarding the coloring levels generated from said manualswitch.
 13. An antiglare mirror apparatus according to 10, wherein saidsignal generator comprises a specific light sensor that detects a lightamount of light from a specific direction, and said control circuitdetermines a variation amount of the light amount detected for everypredetermined time by said specific light sensor and controls the supplystate of said drive-electric energy based upon information of saidvariation amount.
 14. An antiglare mirror apparatus according to claim13, wherein said control circuit comprises: a specific light informationinput unit that receives the information regarding said variationamount; a specific light level judgment unit that judges the coloringlevel by comparing the information input into said specific lightinformation input unit with a predetermined light amount thresholdvalue; and a drive-energy output unit that determines the supply stateof said drive-electric energy corresponding to the coloring level judgedby said specific light level judgment unit.
 15. An antiglare mirrorapparatus according to claim 10, wherein said signal generator comprisesa surrounding light sensor that detects a light amount around a vehicleand said control circuit controls the supply state of saiddrive-electric energy based upon the light amount detected by saidsurrounding light sensor.
 16. An antiglare mirror apparatus according toclaim 15, wherein said control circuit comprises: a surrounding lightinformation input unit that receives information regarding the lightamount detected by said surrounding light sensor; a surrounding lightlevel judgment unit that judges a coloring level by comparing theinformation input into said surrounding light information input unitwith a predetermined light amount threshold value; and a drive-energyoutput unit that determines the supply state of said drive-electricenergy corresponding to the coloring level judged by said surroundinglight level judgment unit.
 17. An antiglare mirror apparatus accordingto claim 10, wherein said signal generator comprises: a surroundinglight sensor that detects a light amount around a vehicle; and aspecific light sensor that detects a light amount of light from aspecific direction and wherein said control circuit determines avariation amount based upon the light amount detected for everypredetermined time by said specific light sensor, determines a coloringstate of said mirror member based upon the variation amount and thelight amount detected by said surrounding light sensor, and controls thesupply state of said drive-electric energy corresponding to thedetermined coloring state.
 18. An antiglare mirror apparatus accordingto claim 17, wherein said control circuit comprises: a surrounding lightinformation input unit that receives information regarding a lightamount of a surrounding light from said surrounding light sensor; aspecific light information input unit that receives informationregarding a variation amount of a light amount detected for everypredetermined time by said specific light sensor; a surrounding lightlevel judgment unit that determines a first coloring level Ai asnumerical information by comparing the information input into saidsurrounding light information input unit with a predetermined lightamount threshold value; a specific light level judgment unit thatdetermines a second coloring level Bi as numerical information bycomparing the information input into said specific light informationinput unit with a predetermined light amount threshold value; a coloringlevel determination unit that determines a third coloring level C byperforming a certain calculation to the first coloring level Ai and thesecond coloring level Bi; and a drive-energy output unit that determinesthe supply state of said drive-electric energy corresponding to thethird coloring level C determined by said coloring level determinationunit.
 19. An antiglare mirror apparatus according to 18, wherein saidcertain calculation is executed according to an equation ofC=Ai×h+Bj×(1−h). h: a ratio of how much the surrounding light affectsthe variation amount of the light amount from the specific direction.20. An antiglare mirror apparatus according to claim 10, wherein saidsignal generator comprises: a manual switch that generates a signalregarding a plurality of coloring levels; and a specific light sensorthat detects a light amount of light from a specific direction andwherein said control circuit determines a variation amount based upon alight amount detected for every predetermined time by said specificlight sensor, determines a coloring state of said mirror member basedupon said variation amount and information of the coloring level fromsaid manual switch, and controls the supply state of said drive-electricenergy corresponding to the determined coloring state.
 21. An antiglaremirror apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an indicatorthat indicates a driving state of said electrochromic element.
 22. Anantiglare mirror apparatus in a vehicle compartment comprising: a mirrormember; said mirror member that is an electrochromic element comprising:an antiglare material comprising an electrochromic layer, a lighttransmission electrode material, and a light reflective electrodematerial, wherein said light transmission electrode material is disposedon one side of said antiglare material and said light reflectiveelectrode material is disposed on the other side of said antiglarematerial; a power source supply means that supplies a drive-electricenergy to said electrochromic element; a signal generation means thatgenerates a driving electric signal of said electrochromic element; acontrol circuit means that controls said drive-electric energy to saidelectrochromic element based upon said driving electric signal; and aholder that holds the mirror member, said holder being detachablymounted to a facility in a vehicle compartment.